


Green Light

by elijahsjuul



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, M/M, No Apocalypse, No Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:53:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 10,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28368696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elijahsjuul/pseuds/elijahsjuul
Summary: Rick, Michonne and Daryl are looking for a new roommate. Negan just so happens to be looking for a place to stay. All hell will break loose as Michonne and Daryl silently wait for Negan and Rick to just get together (damnit) and Negan and Rick repeatedly deny their feelings for each other. Much to Michonne and Daryl's disappointment.(Heavily inspired by New Girl lol)
Relationships: Rick Grimes/Negan
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

Negan smoothed his shirt down with his hands, taking a deep breath as he prepared to knock on the door to the apartment. He had abandoned the leather jacket he typically wore for a light blue button down shirt, and some black jeans. This was it. He absolutely had to get this god damn apartment, he couldn't go through any more of these stupid screenings. He knocked on the door, waiting patiently for them to answer. He'd found the ad on Craigslist, of all places, which felt sketchy enough. The door swung open, revealing a man just a little shorter than him, with dark hair, and dark brown eyes that seemed to bore into Negan. He studied him momentarily, cocking his head.

"Hi... um, I'm here for the room?" Negan started anxiously, which was strange because he wasn't typically an anxious person.

"What?" the man looked confused, and Negan panicked, looking at the door for the number. Had he gotten the wrong apartment? The wrong floor? The wrong building?! Oh god, he prayed he hadn't. 

"The ad that was on Craigslist... fuck am I at the wrong place?" Negan scrambled for his phone, for some way to tell where he was supposed to go. 

"Wait! Are you Negan?" a woman appeared behind the man at the door, and the man turned to look at her.

"Carol what the hell is he talking about?" the man demanded, and the woman - Carol - ignored him.

"Yeah, I am." Negan replied, looking at her now.

"Awesome! Guys! Roommate meeting in the kitchen!" Carol called, and grabbed Negan's arm, pulling him into the room. The apartment itself was spacious, and the ad had described it as a studio apartment with four bedrooms and one shared bathroom. It might be a pain to share a bathroom with three other people, but Negan was willing to make the sacrifice. Besides, the apartment was gorgeous. 

The door on the far side of the room swung open, and Negan guessed it was one of the four bedrooms. A woman walked out, with dark dreads and a curious look in her eyes. Negan was pulled further into the house, towards the woman.

"Michonne, this is Negan." Carol introduced them, and Negan thrust his hand out, heart going a mile a minute. 

"Nice to meet you." Negan smiled, and she shook his hand hesitantly. Negan only saw three other people, so he assumed that Michonne, Carol and the other man were his roommates. 

"Nice to meet you too." Michonne went to the cupboard, grabbing a box of crackers and sitting up on the counter.

"Michonne get your ass off the counter." the man called from across the room.

"You sit on the counter all the goddamn time, Daryl, shut up." Michonne retorted. The other man - Daryl - rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, this is Daryl. Daryl, say hi to Negan!" Carol called, and Daryl put a hand up.

"Yo!" Daryl greeted him, and Negan raised a hand.

"Nice to meet you all." Negan relaxed a little, smiling. 

"Wait a minute-" Carol stopped, looking around the room.

"Where is that blue eyed bastard." she muttered, leaving Negan's side and disappearing down the hall, where Negan assumed there were more bedrooms. He stood awkwardly in the kitchen, under both Daryl and Michonne's gaze. He looked down at the floor, quiet. The sound of two pairs of feet coming into the kitchen tore his gaze from the floor, and Carol walked in, followed by what might have been the best looking man Negan had ever seen. Eyes the colour of the sky, dark brown hair that curled at the ends that Negan just wanted to run his fingers through. He wasn't as tall as Negan but he was almost there. As tall as Daryl, Negan could guess. His grey shirt was unbuttoned, hanging loosely at his sides revealing a toned chest. His worn blue jeans were loose, held up by a belt. 

"Uh... hi, I... I'm Negan." Negan found he was stuttering, almost at a loss for words which was odd. He was never like that, ever. But this man, the beautiful man that stood in front of him, had rendered him speechless.

"I'm Rick. Rick Grimes." the blue eyed man went over to him, grabbing his hand in a not-to-tight grip and shaking it. That's when Negan decided he had to live there.


	2. Interview

"Do you like pickles?" Daryl asked, sitting across from Negan on the couch.

"What? Yes, what kind of question is that?" Negan questioned, a little confused as to what the relevance of the question was.

"He isn't living with us." Michonne declared, going to stand up, but Rick grabbed her arm.

"Michonne, stop it, this is the best person we've encountered since we posted the ad." Rick shot her a warning glare, and she groaned, sitting back down between Daryl and Rick. Carol was perched on an arm chair a little ways away from the trio.

It had been made clear to Negan soon after he met Rick that none of the other residents actually knew that Carol was moving out. There had been a brief period of yelling, before they remembered that Negan was there. He stood awkwardly in the kitchen as they shouted, trying to be heard over one another. There had been a brief period where he wondered if he could ever fit in with them, as they already seemed to be a very tightly knit group of friends. He almost felt like he was intruding.

"I can leave." Negan had cut in their shouting, and they all stopped, seeming to remember he was in their kitchen and potentially their new roommate.

"I promise they aren't always that crazy." Carol went over to him, putting a hand on his arm.

"They just NEVER LISTEN TO ME!" Carol launched back into their argument, and Negan could do nothing but sit and watch, and wait for it to be over. Negan snapped back to reality as he realized they were arguing again, this time about pickles.

"Maybe this is a... bad time... I can come back another time?" Negan suggested, the only thing he wanted to do was make a beeline for the goddamn door.

"Would all of you behave for one second?" Carol went over, hitting them all on the back of their heads like children. Daryl and Michonne both made a sound of protest, glaring at her, but Rick only grinned, ducking away from her hand at the last second. God his eyes were so blue.

"Negan, do you have a job?" Rick finally asked a question.

"Yeah, I do. I'm a teacher, high school gym. I'm a high school gym teacher." Negan answered, adding so many damn words Rick probably thought he was an idiot. Rick smiled a little, cocking his head and studying Negan with a look Negan couldn't quite read.

"Okay, that checks off all your boxes! He's got a good income, he's clean, he's polite. You've got yourself a new roommate!" Carol declared, and they all looked at her.

"Shouldn't we be the ones making the decision since you're leaving?" Daryl inquired, and she groaned, throwing her hands in the air in defeat and retreating to her room before anything else could be said.

"With that being said, I know I really like you." Rick started, and just him saying that made Negan's heart soar a little. Even though it didn't mean that.

"And I think Daryl and Michonne do too." Rick added, looking at the other two for confirmation. They both nodded, despite Michonne's clear issue with pickles.

"So, when can you move in?" Rick asked, and Negan grinned widely, a breath of relief leaving his body.

"As soon as possible is best." Negan replied, trying to contain his overwhelming joy. Not only had he found a place, but it was a place with Rick.

"That's great. How about tomorrow?" Rick stood up, and Negan did as well. Daryl and Michonne were shoving one another, arguing about something new, too preoccupied to realize what was happening.

"I guess, welcome to the family then. I'm glad we found a roommate." Rick walked Negan to the door, and Negan chuckled softly.

"Yeah, I've been looking for a place for ages. This place was perfect, I was so nervous I wouldn't get it." Negan confessed, and Rick smiled, laughing a little.

"Negan, the moment I saw you I knew you would have this place." Rick put a hand on his shoulder. It wasn't romantic. It was a shoulder touch.

"Daryl and Michonne do like you, Negan. Even if they're idiots. And obviously Carol likes you, but you won't see her a whole lot." Rick smiled, and Negan couldn't help but smile too.

"Yeah, my friends have been dying for me to move out here." Negan remembered Simon and Arat, and how excited they were about this place.

"They really wanted me to get this place, I'm so glad I did." Negan continued, looking around the apartment again.

"Well I really hope I can meet them one day, Negan." Rick said, and he sounded genuine, sincere. Negan smiled, looking down and away from Rick. His eyes were so insanely blue.

"I'll see you tomorrow then?" Rick questioned, and Negan looked back up at him.

"Yeah. See you tomorrow." Negan nodded, and Rick opened the door for him. Negan walked out, a sense of almost relief, mixed with joy, and excitement.

He was going to be living with Rick Grimes.


	3. Simply Platonic

Rick wanted to meet Negan for coffee one day to talk about the lease. Then another day, he went over to Negan's old apartment to make sure he was all packed up. An entire state away. Then he rented a truck to help Negan move, and took him out for lunch after.

"It's just platonic!" Negan exclaimed, sitting on Simon's couch. Arat was standing in the kitchen, a can of Coke in her hand as she watched the two argue in amusement.

"Oh yeah, that all sounds platonic. Tell me one thing though, did his roommates come?" Simon demanded, crossing his arms. Negan shook his head, closing his eyes in annoyance.

The problem with both Simon and Arat was that Negan had known them for too long. He met Simon in high school and Arat in university, and they knew him too well for comfort. They could tell when he was sad, mad, happy, angry. Worst of all they could tell when he was falling for someone, the someone in this case just so happened to be his new roommate.

"Here Arat, why don't we go get coffee, and help you move to a different state. Oh, and then I'll rent a fucking moving truck and help you move, and take you out for lunch after!" Simon looked at the woman, who watched him with a smirk on her face.

"Sounds a little bit romantic to me Negan." she commented, taking a sip of her drink. Negan groaned, putting his face in his hands.

"You're supposed to be on my side damnit Arat." Negan muttered, sighing softly. She only chuckled, taking a sip of her drink as she sat down beside him.

"Negan, I think Simon is right. Do you know if he's single?" Arat questioned, and Negan shook his head no. One of the few things that Rick hadn't said a word about was his relationship status, and Negan didn't want to ask.

"You should ask." Simon insisted, and Negan sighed.

"As thrilling as this whole conversation is, I have to get back to the apartment. I still have a bit of unpacking to do." Negan stood up, grabbing his jacket.

"Well good luck with Rick." Arat walked him to the door.

"Have sex with him!!" Simon shouted, and Negan flipped him off. Negan opened the door, pausing to hug Arat goodbye.

"Good luck with him Negan. I'm sure it'll all work out fine." Arat smiled and he nodded.

"Thanks." he smiled back, before leaving their apartment and returning to his new apartment.

When he walked into the apartment, tucking his new key in his pocket, everyone seemed to be home. Michonne was in the kitchen, making a smoothie, and Daryl was drinking coffee leaning no the counter. There was a woman on the couch, with Rick sitting beside her, his arm draped behind her. Negan felt his stomach flip in jealousy, which was ridiculous. He'd barely known the man a week and he was already jealous of the people he was hanging out with.

"Negan's back!" Michonne exclaimed, pouring her smoothie into a cup. Negan smiled, waving at her as he took off his jacket, walking further into the apartment.

"Negan!" Rick got off the couch, and Negan turned to look at him. The girl stood up too, and Negan finally got a good look at her face. High cheekbones, sparkling brown eyes, dark brown hair that framed her face perfectly. She was wearing a loose top, and tight skinny jeans. Negan would have hit on her, had Rick not been standing right there.

"I want you to meet Lori, my girlfriend." Rick put an arm around her shoulders, and Negan's heart dropped. Of course he had a girlfriend. It made perfect sense. He was a good looking man, smart, funny, kind. 

"Nice to meet you Negan." Lori smiled, holding out a hand. Negan shook her hand, forcing a smile. 

"Nice to meet you too." Negan tried to relax his grip, ignore Rick's eyes on him.

"As much as I'd love to hang out with you all, I have to unpack a little more." Negan let go of Lori's hand, addressing the group.

"Have fun." Michonne retreated to her room, closing the door behind her.

"Do you need a hand?" Rick asked, and Negan shook his head quickly.

"No, no it's fine. I've only got a few more things." Negan waved a hand, going to his room as fast as he could. He closed the door, sighing softly as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. He dialled Simon's number, listening to it ring as he went to the far side of his room and turned on his record player. Arat had given it to him one Christmas, and her and Simon had continued to give him records. He set up a record, starting it as Simon answered the phone, and praying that it would work to muffle his call.

"Weren't you just here?" Simon questioned, and Negan sat down on the floor against the wall.

"He has a girlfriend." Negan announced, and he heard Simon groan.

"Damn, I'm sorry. Do you need me to break them up?" Arat inquired in the background, and Negan's eyes widened.

"No! Arat, Jesus Christ, no!" Negan exclaimed, and winced as he realized how loud he was being. He prayed that nobody out there could hear him. 

"Just an offer!" Arat said defensively.

"I could kill her." Simon suggested, and Negan slapped a hand over his face.

"Simon, you are not going to kill her!" Negan forgot all about being quiet, and Simon laughed. Negan shook his head a little, sighing softly.

"Seriously man, we're sorry. Sucks to be Rick if he isn't going to drop that bitch for you." Arat said, and there was a sudden crash.

"ARAT!! YOU GOT FUCKING GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR!!" Simon yelled, and there was the sound of someone hitting someone.

"AND NOW YOU'RE HITTING ME?! ABUSE!!" Simon shouted, and Arat scoffed. 

"You started jumping around you idiot!" Arat sounded much calmer than Simon did. 

"I'm going to let you guys handle that. Have fun!" Negan said as he hung up before they could say anything in protest. He put his phone in his pocket, picking himself up off the floor and finishing his unpacking, trying desperately to keep Rick and Lori out of his mind.


	4. The Shower Incident

It had been a week since Negan had moved in. He no longer had a reason to hide out in his room, because he'd unpacked totally. Not just that, but Daryl, Rick and Michonne forced him out of his room. He tried to get out as often as he could, but with the exception of work, he found that he couldn't do much to avoid the group. Simon and Arat worked often, and a part of Negan was convinced that they were purposely making him hang around Rick. But, he brushed it off, because, well, he got to spend time with Rick. Negan walked out into the kitchen, going to make his morning coffee and then head to work. Daryl's bedroom door was still closed, but Michonne was awake, leaning against the counter sipping coffee.

"Morning." she greeted him, handing him a mug of coffee.

"Thanks. Morning." he nodded, adding cream and sugar and taking a sip of the drink.

"Rick and Lori are still in his room. I suggest you scram unless you want to see the most disgusting display of PDA in the world." Michonne warned, and Negan chuckled softly, drinking his coffee.

"I'm fine with it. My old roommate from college had girls around all the time. So did I." Negan replied, and she chuckled.

"What about you? Do you have a girlfriend? Or a boyfriend?" she questioned.

"No, I don't. Used to have a girlfriend, Lucille. She got sick, ended up making me leave her. That's why I moved here." Negan explained, his voice getting quieter at the mention of Lucille. Michonne was quiet, studying him.

"I'm sorry about Lucille. I'm sure she was a wonderful woman." Michonne finally broke the silence, and he nodded.

"Yeah, she was. But the past is the past. She wanted me to move on, that was her dying wish." he looked at her, and she nodded quietly.

"It's good you're moving on." Michonne responded, and he nodded, smiling a little. Rick and Lori walked in, Lori practically hanging off his arm as he went to get them coffee. All Negan could muster was a small smile, before leaving the kitchen and grabbing his jacket.

"Negan! Before you go!" Rick jogged to the door, getting there before Negan did and blocking his path. Negan stopped, pulling his jacket on and raising a brow curiously.

"Lori can't get out of work for dinner tonight and I have very expensive reservations. Michonne is going out to the club with Carol and Daryl refused to go, will you come with me? I don't want it to go to waste." Rick explained, and Negan ran a hand through his hair.

"Yeah, sure, why not. I'm not doing anything after work." Negan replied, and Rick smiled, seemingly relieved.

"I'm really sorry I couldn't go with him tonight, I hope you don't mind. My boss just wanted me to stay late and I couldn't get out of it." Lori appeared at Rick's side, putting an arm around him.

"Yeah it's no problem." Negan forced a smile, nodding.

"Great. Reservations are at 6 so be ready for then." Rick told him, and Negan gave him a thumbs up.

"I'll be ready." Negan responded, and then walked out, going to the school.

The day seemed to take forever to pass by, and during his lunch break, he found he was watching the clock, waiting patiently for the school day to be over so he could go home and get ready for dinner tonight with Rick. When he finally left the school for the day, he wondered briefly if he should get flowers. Or something. Then he remembered that it wasn't technically a date, so he didn't really have to get anything. Maybe he would just dress up nicely. When he got back to the apartment, Rick was nowhere to be seen. Daryl was in the kitchen now, eating a bowl of cereal on one of the stools. Michonne was nowhere to be found either.

"Hey." Daryl waved, and Negan took off his jacket.

"Hi. Is Rick home?" Negan asked. He didn't want to sound so eager, but he couldn't help it. He was a little excited. Daryl looked at him again, amusement on his face.

"He'll be home soon." Daryl answered, and Negan felt himself blushing.

"Alright. Cool. I'm gonna shower quick." Negan went to his room, dumping his stuff from work on his bed and going to the bathroom with a few towels. He turned on the shower, closing the door and getting in. It felt good under the warm water, and Negan couldn't help but close his eyes and enjoy the warmth. When he got out, wrapping the towel around his waist, wiping the condensation off the mirror. He grabbed his toothbrush, brushing his teeth and letting the water drip down his back. He hummed quietly to himself, not paying much attention to his surroundings.

When the door swung open, he whirled around, his toothbrush in his hand, locking eyes with Rick Grimes.

"Oh! Shit- uh- sorry!!" Rick exclaimed, and Negan went bright red, feeling the blush spreading down his chest and up to his ears.

"I should've locked the door, it's my bad." Negan immediately tried to cover himself a little more. He was fully aware of how low the towel was on his waist, and the fact that he was still soaking wet with toothpaste in his mouth.

"I uh- I'm gonna shower after.. just let me know when you're done... in here..." Rick kept glancing at both the floor and Negan.

"Yeah... yeah will do.." Negan nodded, and Rick walked out, closing the door behind him. Negan closed his eyes, groaning softly as he turned the tap on, rinsing the toothbrush and spitting out the toothpaste in his mouth. He ran a hand over his face and then through his hair, slicking it back a little with the remaining water as he walked out. He went to Rick's room, knocking on the door.

"Come in!" Rick called, and Negan opened the door, poking just his head in.

"Uh, bathroom is free." Negan told him, and Rick turned, a towel in his hand and a smile on his face.

"Thanks Sorry again for that.. shower incident." Rick apologized, and Negan smiled a little, chuckling softly.

"It's fine. It was bound to happen." Negan waved a hand, before leaving the doorway and going to his room.


	5. "Date" Night

"This is the place we're going?" Negan looked out the passenger window, and Rick chuckled softly, parking the car.

"Yeah. Lori loves this place, I was uh.. I was going to propose. It's our two year anniversary in two weeks, I figured it'd be a nice surprise." Rick admitted, and Negan went quiet. He almost felt like he was ruining this, and then he remembered that Lori had to work tonight. So it wasn't his fault. 

They got out of the car, going towards the restaurant, and Negan was glad he chose to wear a suit, minus the tie. Rick was dressed in a suit with a tie, and he looked damn good too. Hair still a little wet from his shower, slicked back and curled at the end. Eyes so bright and blue it was unreal. They were seated, and they looked at the menu in silence.

"Do you want to see the ring?" Rick asked out of the blue, and Negan looked up from his menu, raising a brow. 

"What?" Negan questioned, a little confused as to what Rick meant. 

"For Lori." Rick elaborated, and Negan nodded, blushing a little. Truth be told, he'd completely forgotten about Lori by the time they'd sat down. 

"Yeah, yeah sure, why not." Negan nodded, and Rick reached into his suit pocket, pulling out a box. He opened it, showing it to Negan.

"Wow.. Rick, it's... gorgeous." Negan felt a wave of jealousy. He wasn't supposed to be jealous of Lori, he barely knew Rick. The diamond ring gleamed under the dim lights, twinkling and sparkling like a Christmas tree. 

"Thanks. I really hope she likes it." Rick chuckled, and Negan looked him in the eye.

"I'm sure she will Rick. You're a great guy, from what I can tell. She's lucky." Negan said, and Negan could've sworn Rick blushed a little. But it could've also been the lighting. 

"Are you ready to order?" the waiter seemed to show up out of nowhere, and Negan jumped, looking at the waiter then back at the menu. 

"Yeah, yeah we're ready." Rick answered, and then he ordered. Negan scrambled to find something he wanted, and ended up ordering god knows what. The waiter took the menus and left, leaving Rick and Negan alone. 

"So you're a cop?" Negan questioned, and Rick nodded.

"Yeah. I think my buddy Shane is going to come by tonight, he's my partner." Rick explained.

"That's cool." Negan nodded, and Rick smiled.

"How about you? What brought you here, to a whole new state?" Rick inquired, and Negan wondered if he should tell Rick about Lucille. He took a sip of his water, taking a deep breath. What the hell, it would come out eventually. 

"Uh.. I was just leaving stuff behind..." Negan gripped his water a little, looking down at the glass then back at Rick. 

"I had a girlfriend. Lucille." Negan swallowed nervously. He was in too deep now, there was no going back. 

"Oh? You guys broke up?" Rick asked, and Negan wondered if he should just stick to that story. But, Rick deserved the truth. Negan knew that.

"No. She um... she got sick. Told me to leave, start fresh somewhere new. She refused to let me watch her die." Negan's eyes were glued to his water now, refusing to look at Rick. 

"I'm sorry Negan.. that's... that's horrible, you shouldn't have had to go through that." Rick reached across the table, putting a hand on his arm. Negan looked up at him, those god damned blue eyes locked on his. 

"It's fine I've.. I've moved on, I'm alright now." Negan nodded, smiling a little. Rick frowned a bit, but didn't say anything else. Their food came after that, and they ate in silence for a long time. 

When the bill came, they agreed to split it, and then went out to the car. 

"Hey, you're new to LA, why don't I take you on a tour of my favourite places?" Rick suggested as they got into the car. 

"Sounds like a good idea to me." Negan nodded, shooting him a smile. With that, Rick started the car, leaving the fancy restaurant and driving down the busy streets. 

First he took Negan to an ice cream shop down by the beach, where they argued about the best flavour. Then he took Negan to a record shop, where he let him pick out a few records and insisted that he paid. Finally, they walked down the beach, shoulders so close they were almost touching. 

"I'm telling you, Negan, mint chip is the best flavour!" Rick exclaimed, and Negan laughed, shaking his head.

"It's chocolate chip cookie dough you monster!" Negan retorted, shoving him towards the water a little, making Rick's jeans and the bottom of his jeans get wet. 

"You suck!" Rick exclaimed, grabbing Negan and pulling him into the water.

"Yeah well you swallow!" Negan snapped back, a smile on his face.

"Come on man!" Rick rolled his eyes, but he was still smiling widely. 

"Let's go home, you jerk." Negan grabbed his arm, and they went back up to the car, water and sand covering them up to their knees as they got in the car. 

That night Negan was lying in bed, in the dark, just thinking. Thinking about the entire evening, how Rick had wanted to spend more time with him. But, of course, there was Lori. So there was zero chance that Negan had a chance. He just had to remember that.


	6. Shane

It was bright and early Saturday morning when Negan woke up to the sound of people outside in the living room. He got out of bed, grabbing a t-shirt and pulling it over his head, walking outside. Sitting on the couch with Rick was Lori, and a new person. Carol was also in the chair across from them, and Daryl was standing with Michonne in the kitchen, and Michonne was flipping pancakes.

"Um.. hi." Negan waved, and they all looked at him.

"Negan! This is Shane, the guy I was telling you about last night." Rick pointed to the other guy on the couch. He had curly dark hair, and dark brown eyes. He and Rick stood up, revealing that he was just a little bit taller than Rick. 

"Pleasure to meet you." Shane shook Negan's hand. 

"Yeah, you too." Negan shook his hand, going for the kitchen. He grabbed a mug with some coffee, and Carol got up, joining the trio in the kitchen.

"So, how was last night with Rick?" Carol leaned on the counter, and Negan looked at her, confused.

"Y'know, the shower incident. Your little not-date?" Carol elaborated, and Negan nearly spit out his coffee. He looked at Rick, Lori and Shane, who were too busy talking to have noticed what Carol had said. 

"How do you even know about- it wasn't a date!" Negan whisper shouted, glaring at her. Michonne shot Carol a smirk over her shoulder, and even Daryl masked a chuckle with a cough. 

"I mean he saw you naked." Daryl piped in, a cheeky grin on his face. 

"Not on purpose, Jesus!" Negan protested, rolling his eyes and drinking his coffee. 

"I also wasn't naked. I had a towel." Negan added, and they all laughed. That got Rick's attention, and he looked over momentarily, locking eyes with Negan and then looking back at Shane and Lori. 

"Whatever you say Negan." Michonne shook her head at the stove, putting a stack of pancakes on a plate and putting them on the counter. Carol pulled out plates and cutlery, and they all got pancakes. Negan grabbed a plate, and Rick, Shane and Lori wandered over, drawn by the smell of pancakes. 

"Thank you, Michonne. These look great." Lori smiled, and Michonne nodded, smiling back. 

"They're blueberry. Sorry Daryl, no chocolate chips left in the house." Michonne looked at the taller man, who groaned and grabbed a pancake. Negan smiled to himself, shooting a glance at Rick as Rick grabbed a pancake, whispering something to Lori. Whatever it was it caused her to giggle, and made Negan so jealous. 

When they'd all sat down, Shane got up, his plate empty.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom quick, I'll be right back." Shane announced, walking out of the room. A few minutes passed, and then Lori spoke. 

"I'll be right back, I'm gonna grab one of your sweaters Rick, it's freezing in here." Lori commented, disappearing towards Rick's room. Rick's eyes went right to Negan, and Negan felt his heart racing. His throat was so damn dry, Rick's stare was so intense. Negan had to get out of the room, fast. 

"She's right, I'm going to grab a hoodie too. I'll be right back." Negan said suddenly, getting up and walking out of the room. He stopped momentarily in the hall, taking a deep breath and then continuing to the bathroom with the intention of splashing some cold water on his face. He pushed the door open, and froze. 

Lori and Shane were standing in the middle of the room, kissing. They didn't realize he was there at first, and he almost went to leave. But Shane saw him, and pulled away from her.

"Negan." Shane almost growled, and Lori whirled around. Negan was frozen, looking between the two of them nervously. 

"I uh.." Negan fumbled for words, blinking a few times as he tried to process it. Before he had any chance to, Shane was lunging at him, and Negan stepped back, eyes wide. He had to get the fuck out of here. He took off down the hall, and he wondered if Shane would chase him down. He reached the kitchen, heart racing, and his eyes locked on Rick's. Oh god, he had almost forgotten about Rick. He was aware that he was out of breath, and he probably looked like he'd just witnessed a murder. Without a word, he returned to his plate, staring at his pancakes. 

"Why are you out of breath?" Michonne demanded, and Negan waved a hand.

"I'm not!" Negan insisted, and Lori returned to the room, one of Rick's sweaters on. She eyed Negan warily, and Negan avoided her gaze totally. A few minutes later, Shane returned. He glared at Negan from across the table, and Negan lost his appetite. 

"I have to go to... work." Negan declared, and everyone was confused.

"Negan it's a Saturday." Rick called after him, but he was already out the door, running down the stairs, down the street. He had to talk to Simon and Arat. Or just Simon. Or just Arat. He couldn't stop fucking running, fear that Shane was following him, or Lori. Or Rick. He slowed down, looking behind him quickly and finding that neither person was following him. Then, he pulled out his phone and called Simon.

"Hello?" Simon answered, and Negan let out a breath.

"I need your help." Negan declared, sitting down on the curb.


	7. A Rock And A Hard Place

"Holy shit." Arat muttered, running a hand down her face. Negan sat at the table, his head in his hands. Simon was standing in the kitchen, a glass of lemonade in his hand. Arat was leaning against the couch.

"I don't know what to do. If I tell Rick, he might not believe me. We're not super close, and he's so much closer with Lori and Shane. It's two on one, I won't win." Negan started, and sighed softly.

"If I don't tell him and they tell him I knew that's a.. that's a friendship that could go down the drain. And I'm sure that Daryl, Carol and Michonne will be pissed." Negan added, and Simon took a sip of his drink.

"You my friend, are stuck between a rock and a hard place." Simon declared, and Negan scoffed a little, laughing wryly.

"I know." Negan nodded, pinching the bridge of his nose. He had turned his phone off when everyone started texting him, asking him where he was, what happened. He was scared to go back and face everyone.

"What do you think you should do?" Arat asked, sitting down across from him. Negan shrugged a little, looking at her.

"I don't know. What do you suggest I do?" Negan inquired, and she sighed softly.

"Talk to the other three, especially the roommates. Get their take, what they think you should do. Then make your move." Simon cut in, leaning on the table. Negan looked at him, considering what he said. It was smart, in truth, using Michonne, Daryl and Carol for help. Maybe it was the safest play right now. Negan nodded, standing up and looking at Arat, hoping she'd pipe in.

"I agree with Simon. That's the smartest play for now." Arat nodded, and Negan let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

"Alright. I'll talk to them.. I don't know how I'm going to face Rick." Negan rubbed his eyes, imagining how hurt Rick would be when he found out about Shane and Lori.

"Good luck." Simon patted his shoulder gently, and Negan nodded.

"I'll see you guys later. Thanks for the advice." Negan called, walking out of the apartment. He walked down the street, trying to figure out how he would tell Daryl, Carol and Michonne. When he walked into the apartment, the kitchen was empty. Shane, Lori and Rick were nowhere to be seen, Michonne's bedroom door was closed and Daryl and Carol were nowhere to be found. He went to Michonne's room first, knocking on the door and praying the woman was there. Her door swung open, and she stood there, looking at him.

"Hey, what's going on? Why'd you run out like that?" Michonne demanded, and Negan took a deep breath.

"I have to talk to you. And Daryl and Carol." he declared, and she frowned a little, nodding.

"Alright. Carol had to go to work, but Daryl is in his room." Michonne walked out of her room, closing her door and going to Daryl's door. Negan followed hesitantly, waiting for Daryl to answer after she knocked. He opened the door, looking at them curiously.

"What's up?" he inquired, looking between the two of them.

"I need to talk to you and Michonne." Negan responded, and Daryl ran a hand through his hair, which Negan noticed was wet from what was likely a shower.

"Alright, cool. Living room?" Daryl inquired, and Michonne nodded. Negan followed the duo into the living room, still not totally sure how he was going to tell them the news. They all sat down, and Negan took a deep breath.

"Lori is... I walked in on her and Shane kissing." Negan spit it out, and they were quiet for a long time, shock evident on their faces.

"I don't know what to do and Shane is obviously pissed, he doesn't want me to tell anyone, obviously. I don't know if I should tell Rick, because I'm not as close with him as Shane and Lori, and he'll probably believe them over me... I just don't know what to fucking do." Negan rambled, dropping his head into his hands as the silence overcame the room. It was deafening, so fucking loud, louder than voices could ever be.

"Negan... I..." Michonne started, and Negan looked up at her. She glanced at Daryl, trying to figure out what to say. There had to be some way for them to help him, because he didn't know what to fucking do.

"We have to tell him." Daryl declared, and Negan nodded, taking a deep breath.

"Alright, so we tell Rick.." Michonne sighed, and Negan took a deep breath.

"Tell him what?" Rick asked from behind them.


	8. That's Not Daryl

Negan was frozen in place. Nobody said a word as Rick slowly closed the door, quiet. Shane was with him, Lori nowhere to be found, and Negan could feel Shane's harsh glare boring into his head. But, his eyes stayed locked with Rick's. 

"Tell you congratulations! Because you're going to propose to Lori! I just accidentally mentioned it." Negan covered for them immediately, too scared to tell Rick the truth about Shane in front of Shane. He looked back at Daryl and Michonne, who looked at him like he was crazy.

"Yeah, actually, Negan, I wanna talk to you." Shane said, and Negan felt his shoulders get tense. Shit, Shane was going to use something against him. Negan just didn't know what. 

"Yeah.. uh... sure." Negan nodded, going towards Shane despite every part of him telling him not to. Shane led him out into the hall, and to the emergency stairwell. The door clicked shut, and Negan felt like his heart was going to beat out of his chest.

"I know you saw shit." Shane started, his voice totally different than five minutes ago. 

"I'm going to tell Rick." Negan declared, and Shane smiled. 

"No you aren't. Because then I'll tell him that you're practically in love with him." Shane retorted, and Negan went rigid. His blood ran cold as he scanned Shane's face, trying to tell if he was bluffing or not. There was no way he knew, right? 

"No I'm not." was all Negan could come up with, and Shane cocked his head, a smile on his face as he studied Negan. 

"I met your friends. Simon and Arat." Shane countered, and Negan felt his stomach twist. 

"They're really quite lovely. Thought I was Daryl, told me everything." Shane added, and Negan felt so physically ill, he worried he would throw up right then and there. 

"Told me how you talk about him, how I just had to help you get with him." Shane continued, and Negan couldn't stop the noise that came out of his throat. It was some cross between a whimper of pain and a groan, and Shane grinned cruelly. 

"Don't tell him, please. It could ruin our whole friendship.. I can't lose him." Negan pleaded, and Shane grabbed his face. Negan was frozen as he stared at the shorter man.

"You're going to do whatever I want. Got it?" Shane demanded, and Negan nodded quickly. He had to go talk to Arat and Simon. 

"Alright." Shane left the stairwell, leaving Negan alone. The door clicked shut again, and Negan leaned against the wall, feeling the familiar panic taking over. He slid down the wall, tears in his eyes as he imagined the hatred in Rick's eyes if he found out about Negan's interest in him. He reached for his phone, calling Arat this time.

"Yo, what's up?" Arat answered, and Negan tried to swallow the lump in his throat.

"You told Daryl that I liked Rick?" Negan questioned, his voice an octave higher than normal. It was so evident that he was close to tears, and it made him mad. 

"Oh! Yeah, I forgot to tell you that. Simon and I ran into him at a bar, we were talking about you and he overheard. He's really sweet, Negan." Arat responded, and Negan took a shaky breath.

"That wasn't Daryl. That was Shane." Negan whispered, pinching the bridge of his nose. Silence from the other end, and he heard faint yelling from Simon and Arat. He put his phone on the ground, still reeling from Shane's threat. Shane couldn't threaten to out him, that wasn't fair. He heard Arat from his phone again, and he picked it up.

"Negan?" she said his name, and he sighed.

"Hey." he replied, staring at the wall in front of him.

"What'd Shane say?" she questioned, and he heard Simon muttering in the background.

"He threatened to out me to Rick." Negan answered, and Simon stopped muttering. They were both silent, processing the news.

"I'm going to kill Shane." Simon declared, and he heard the door slam a few seconds later. 

"Shit, Negan, I have to go stop him. I'll call you back, I'm really sorry." Arat said before hanging up.


	9. Simon (Almost) Goes To Jail

Negan went back to the apartment, going straight to his room without saying a word to anyone. He avoided Shane's eyes completely as he went down the hall, into his room, and shut the door. He slowly turned the lock on the door, leaning his head on it. A part of him wished he could stay in this room and never leave again. But, he had to, for work, for food. There was no way he could just live in his room, although the would like it a lot. He sat down on his bed, the silence of the room so loud it made his head hurt, so he put on some music. He lied on his bed, listening to the music, trying to focus on that instead of the deafening thoughts in his head. A sudden crashing, and yelling broke him out of his trance, and he frowned, getting off the bed and turning off the music. He walked out of his room, going to the living room.

Simon was there, his hands gripping Shane's collar like a fucking vice. Arat was behind him, trying to pull him off, but Simon was not only taller than her, but stronger than her. Shane was yelling at him to let go, his feet completely off the floor, but Simon was dead quiet, which made Negan extremely nervous. Michonne and Daryl were standing in the kitchen, watching the scene unfold, and Rick was yelling at Simon to let Shane go. 

"Simon!" Negan shouted, and the room went quiet, all eyes going to Negan. Simon turned, looking at Negan. 

"I'll have you fucking arrested! I'm a cop!" Shane started again, and Simon glared at him, stopping his rambling. 

"Simon, let him go." Negan said calmly, and Simon shot one last glare at Shane before letting him go. Shane landed on the floor with a thud, almost falling. Arat put herself between him and Simon, clearly worried that Simon would do it again. 

"You, me, her. Your room. Now." Simon spat, and Negan led Simon and Arat to his room. They walked in, Simon shutting the door behind him. 

"Why are you here." Negan asked, looking at Arat.

"I followed him here, I didn't want him to murder someone." Arat defended herself, and Negan turned his gaze to Simon. 

"You think I'm just going to let him make that fucking threat? Seriously? That's some bull fucking shit, and I know you won't do anything because you don't want him to tell Rick. But I will go to jail for this shit, understood?" Simon hissed, and Arat pinched the bridge of her nose. Negan and Arat had gotten used to dealing with this side of Simon, the unhinged overprotective side that came out whenever either Negan or Arat was threatened, or hurt. It typically landed him in jail, and Negan and Arat had to bail him out. 

"He has no goddamn right to out you, Negan. No fucking right!! And if he thinks for one fucking second he's going to use it as blackmail, I'll make sure he never thinks again." Simon growled, and Negan put a hand up, sighing. 

"Simon, you are not going to do anything to Shane." Negan ordered, and Arat looked at Negan.

"Negan.. I hate to say it but Simon is right. He has no right using this against you." Arat spoke up, and Negan fell silent. 

"Exactly! So I'm going to go out there, show him that he can't fucking do that, and be done with it!" Simon declared, going for the door. Negan took two steps to get to him, stopping him and pinning him to the door. Simon grinned, and Arat sighed, stepping back.

"I said, you are not going to do anything to Shane." Negan growled, and Simon laughed. 

"That's what Shane needs to see! That fucking side of you, that will scare the absolute shit out of him!!" Simon exclaimed, and Negan stepped back, letting Simon off the door. 

"We will go out there and be civil. And you two can meet the rest of my goddamn roommates, without killing them, please." Negan reached around Simon, opening the door and walking out. The other two followed him back into the living room. Michonne and Daryl were back in the kitchen, talking quietly, and Rick was sitting with Shane on the couch. 

"Get that asshole out of here." Shane glared at Simon, and Simon glared right back, clenching his jaw, and going to lunge at him, but Negan glared at him, grabbing his arm. Simon was still, tense under Negan's grip, but he eventually relaxed, stepping back. 

"Come with me." Negan led Simon and Arat to the kitchen.

"Simon, Arat, this is Michonne and Daryl. The real Daryl." Negan motioned to the two leaning on the couch.

"Nice to meet you. What do you mean, the real Daryl?" Daryl questioned, looking at Negan curiously. 

"Long story." Negan glanced at Shane on the couch, who was talking quietly with Rick. He wanted nothing more than to ruin Shane's life. To tell Rick the truth about Lori, that he didn't deserve her, he didn't deserve Shane as a friend. Shane was an asshole, but Rick couldn't see it. 

"Are you going to tell Rick about Lori and Shane?" Michonne asked, breaking Negan out of his thoughts as he looked at her.

"You told them. Good." Arat muttered, and Daryl nodded. 

"I should.. I need proof." Negan sighed, leaning back against the counter. 

"Easy. I'll have it to you by tomorrow." Daryl declared, and left the kitchen, going to his room. 

"I like him." Simon watched Daryl leave, a smile on his face. Negan sighed softly, shaking his head. Shit was about to hit the fan.


	10. Shit Hits The Fan

The next day, Negan was in his room when someone knocked on his door. He got up, going over and opening the door. Daryl was standing there, an envelope in his hand. 

"Here's your proof." Daryl handed him the envelope, and Negan looked at it, opening it right away. Inside was printed photos of Lori and Shane kissing, sitting together, laughing, walking down the street.

"When were these taken?" Negan questioned, looking at them.

"Last night." Daryl answered, and Negan looked at him.

"Wow.. um... thank you..." Negan looked at him, and Daryl nodded. 

"I always had a feeling Lori wasn't good for him. Never did anything about it though." Daryl frowned a little, scratching his head.

"Use them wisely." Daryl added before walking away. Negan shut his bedroom door, staring at the envelope of pictures. He just had to get Rick alone now. He tucked them into the waistband of his jeans, walking out and going to Rick's room. He knocked at the door, and Rick opened the door, his shirt unbuttoned a little.

"Hey, Negan, what's up?" Rick questioned, buttoning up his shirt. Negan swallowed nervously, momentarily forgetting what he was supposed to be doing.

"I uh.. we need to talk." Negan told him, and Rick nodded, opening the door more.

"Come on in." Rick motioned for Negan to go in, and Negan walked in. 

"What's up?" Rick inquired, sitting down on his bed.

"Lori is cheating on you." Negan felt like a weight was lifted off his shoulders when he said it. Negan let out a breath, wiping his face and finally looking up at Rick. He was frozen, looking at Negan like he was crazy. 

"What?" Rick's voice was soft, and Negan got up, immediately wanting to comfort him. Oh god, he hadn't realized how much this would hurt Rick. 

"She's... Rick I'm sorry.." Negan could barely say it again, and Rick looked at him, eyes hard and cold. 

"You're lying." Rick's voice was low, and Negan sighed. He knew that would come.

"I'm not, I swear to you." Negan reached for the evidence.

"You're lying because you're in love with me, aren't you?" Rick demanded, and Negan froze. His heart skipped a beat, and he locked eyes with Rick. 

"I knew it. Get out." Rick pointed at the door, and Negan felt light headed. He couldn't fucking move as he stared at Rick.

"How do you.. how do you know?" Negan could barely get the question out, and Rick scoffed.

"Shane told me after your friend tried to strangle him." Rick spat, and Negan took a step back. He was so light headed he feared he would pass out. He forced himself to walk out, forgetting entirely about the pictures in his waistband as he walked down the hall, into his room, closing the door. Shane told Rick. Shane fucking told Rick. He tossed the envelope on his dresser, lying down facedown on his bed. The door opened and Negan didn't move.

"Negan? You alright?" Daryl questioned at the door, and Negan rolled on his side, looking at Daryl and Michonne. He could feel his eyes watering, and when the door slammed shut, meaning Rick left, Negan closed his eyes.

"I need to talk to Simon. Or Arat." Negan said quietly, and he felt the bed dip. He opened his eyes, seeing Michonne had sat down.

"What's going on?" Michonne questioned, and Negan sighed softly. 

"I... I like Rick. A lot. More than as just a friend." Negan admitted, and Michonne looked at Daryl, grinning.

"Oh Negan, we knew that." Daryl leaned on the doorframe, smiling. Negan looked between the two of them with wide eyes. 

"What?" Negan demanded, and they nodded.

"Yeah. It was so obvious." Michonne chuckled, and Negan blushed. 

"Shit.. okay." Negan cleared his throat, smiling a little. 

"What happened with Rick?" Michonne asked gently, and Negan's smile faded.

"Shane..." Negan couldn't even bring himself to say it.

"Shane met Arat and Simon. They thought he was Daryl, they told him that I liked Rick. He just told Rick that I was in love with him." Negan closed his eyes, dropping his head into his hands. 

"Shit... that's.. that's over the line.." Michonne said softly, and Daryl pulled out his phone. 

"Simon is going to lose it. Arat probably will too." Negan mumbled, shaking his head a little. 

"Yeah..." Michonne was quiet. Daryl stepped out into the hallway, closing the door. Negan reached for his phone, dialling Arat's number. 

"Hello? Simon stop doing that!" Arat shouted, and Negan chuckled softly. 

"Hey, what're you doing?" Negan asked, and he heard something thud in the background.

"Simon is trying to get toast out of the toaster with a goddamn fork- SIMON!! PUT THE FUCKING KNIFE DOWN!!" Arat shouted, and there was grunting in the background. 

"Anyways! Now that Simon can't electrocute himself, what's up?" Arat inquired, and Negan took a deep breath, looking at Michonne. She nodded, encouraging him to tell her.

"Shane did it." Negan couldn't even bring himself to say it, and Arat was quiet.

"Simon, stop it. Stop. Negan what did he do?" Arat demanded, and Negan sighed. 

"He told Rick." Negan felt sick just saying it, and Michonne rubbed his back reassuringly.

"Shit.. Negan I'm sorry. I'm coming over okay? With Simon." Arat told him.

"Yeah, alright." Negan agreed, seeing he didn't really have any other option. She hung up, and he put the phone down. 

"She's coming over?" Michonne questioned, and Daryl walked in.

"Yeah. With Simon." Negan replied.

"Shane is on his way over." Daryl informed them, and Negan was tense.

"Shit. Simon is going to kill him." Michonne sighed, and Daryl ran a hand over his face.

"It'll be fine." Negan muttered, looking at the floor.


	11. Violence Is The Answer

Simon and Arat arrived before Shane did, and they immediately went to Negan's room, not wasting a second. Daryl and Michonne left them alone in the room, going out and waiting for Shane, Negan assumed. 

"Are you okay?" Arat sat down beside him, and Simon shut the door. Negan could tell he was itching to go out and hunt Shane down. The only reason he was here was likely because Arat forced him to come. 

"I'm.. just processing." Negan replied, and she nodded, rubbing his back. 

"It's all going to work out." Arat reassured him, and he nodded. He heard the door slam outside, and Daryl shouting, along with Michonne. Simon perked up a little, but Arat shot him a look that told him no. Simon looked to Negan, and Negan was silent. Finally, he gave a small nod, and Simon darted out of the room.

"He's going to murder Shane, Negan." Arat mumbled, and Negan hummed.

"I know." Negan responded, and she looked at him. Without another word, they both got up, walking out into the living room. Simon had his hands around Shane's throat, eyes dark with rage. Rick was standing in the front door, his jacket on. Daryl and Michonne had stepped back, clearly laying off when Simon got there. 

"Simon! Enough!" Negan yelled, and Simon dropped Shane, out of breath. He stood over Shane for a long moment, glaring at him.

"You had NO RIGHT telling Rick that shit! You understand?!" Simon shouted, and Shane glared right back at him. Negan looked at Rick desperately, remembering the envelope. But, without a word, Rick turned and left, walking out. 

"You're lucky I don't fucking kill you right now." Simon spat, yanking Shane to his feet. 

"Get the fuck out. Now." Daryl pointed at the door, and Shane swung at Simon in response. Simon grabbed his hand, twisting his wrist until it almost broke. 

"Get out. Before I actually kill you." Simon growled, and let go of his wrist. Shane hesitated, but walked out, slamming the door. 

"Simon. Cool off." Negan went over to his friend, and Simon was quiet. 

"Where'd Rick go?" Arat looked around, and Negan sighed.

"He left." Negan said softly, looking at the door. Daryl grabbed his phone, looking at it for a long time. 

"Just got a text from him.." Daryl trailed off, and Michonne looked at his phone. 

"He just.. proposed to Lori... and he's moving in with her.." Daryl stared at his phone in shock, and Simon looked at him like he'd grown two heads.

"Are you fucking joking?" Simon demanded, going over and looking at his phone. 

"Ah, shit." Negan said softly, dropping on the couch defeatedly. 

"You didn't get him the envelope, did you?" Daryl questioned, and Negan shook his head no. 

"I'm going to go out on a walk. Clear my fucking head." Negan declared, getting up and walking out. 

Arat was quiet as Daryl looked back down at his phone. 

"He's sending movers to get his stuff with Lori." Daryl informed the group, and they were quiet.

"This is going to kill Negan." Arat muttered, and Simon looked at her.

"Yeah..." Simon went quiet, staring at the ground. 

"I'm getting that envelope to him." Daryl declared, and went to Negan's room. Arat followed, and he grabbed the envelope. 

"How are you going to find him?" she questioned.

"I know Rick better than he knows himself. Are you going to come with me?" he looked at her, and she nodded. The group left the apartment, and Daryl led them to a coffee shop. They walked in and immediately found Rick with a cup of coffee, staring at the table in front of him. 

"Rick!" Daryl called, and Rick looked over at him, going to get up. Daryl left the group, hurrying over and slamming the envelope on the table. 

"Look at this. Is this enough fucking proof?" Daryl demanded, and Rick opened the envelope, looking at the pictures. 

"Oh.. my god..." Rick said softly, staring at them.

"Negan was trying to protect you." Simon piped up, and Rick was quiet. 

"I need to.. I need to think..." Rick got up, leaving the group of four standing in the coffee shop, the pictures scattered on the table.


	12. Confrontation

Rick let a week pass after he moved in with Lori. During that week, he had a lot of time to think. Think about the pictures Daryl had shown him. The fact that Lori had cheated on him. With Shane, of all people. It hurt. He hadn't told her that he knew. But he knew he should. He'd gotten the pictures back from Daryl earlier in the week. So, one night, he confronted her. 

"Lori." he looked at her. She was standing in the kitchen, making hot chocolate for them. 

"What's up?" she looked at him, and he swallowed nervously. 

"You cheated on me with Shane. Why?" he demanded, and she looked at him with wide eyes. 

"What? No I didn't, why would you even say that?!" she demanded, and he put a hand up. 

"I know what you did." he held up the photos, the one of her and Shane kissing. The blood drained from her face, and she looked at him.

"How long." he didn't break eye contact. She did, looking down. 

"Four months." she whispered. He felt tears in his eyes, and he let his arm drop, the photos slipping from his grip. 

"Four fucking months?" he whispered, and she was quiet. 

"Negan.. was trying to protect me. He told me about you and him to protect me." Rick said softly, looking down at the floor. 

"Oh god.." he whispered, collapsing on the couch and putting his head down. He remembered how angry he'd been at Negan when Negan told him at first. How much he hated Negan for saying that. 

"I should've listened to him." Rick looked at Lori, and she looked at him, tears in her eyes. He wiped the tears from his own eyes, going over. 

"Engagement ring. Now." he held his hand out, and she took it off, handing it to him. 

"We are done." he spat, and walked out of the apartment. He had to get to Negan, now. He called Daryl, waiting for him to pick up.

"Hey, how are you?" Daryl questioned, and Rick didn't even answer. 

"Where's Negan." Rick demanded.

"I don't know. I think he's been staying at Simon's place, check there." Daryl suggested, and Rick hung up. He got in a cab, going to Simon and Arat's apartment. He ran up the stairs, banging on their door.

"Jesus, what?" Simon opened the door, and Rick pushed past him.

"Where's Negan? I need to talk to him." Rick demanded, and Arat walked out of her room.

"He's not here. Went back to your old place to get something." Arat answered, and Rick didn't say anything else, running out and deciding screw the cab. He ran down the street, sweat soaking his shirt when he reached the building. He went to the door, but realized he didn't have a key. Shit. He called Michonne this time.

"I need to get in, are you home?" he demanded, panting still. 

"No. Daryl and I went to go see a movie- why do you need to get in the apartment?" she demanded, but Rick hung up. What the hell was he going to do? There was only one option for him, and he sighed softly, stepping back onto the sidewalk. Here goes nothing.


	13. Green Light

A week had passed since Rick moved out, and Negan had been staying with Simon and Arat, afraid to go back. It hurt so much that Rick had left. Rick had seen Michonne and Daryl, Negan knew that much, because they'd told him. But for the most part, he'd been out of their lives. So, when he returned to the apartment to get a hoodie he'd left there, he was surprised to find it empty. Michonne and Daryl were gone, and obviously Rick was too. He pushed the door to Rick's room open, staring at the empty room. He was quiet, the only noise the traffic outside. He walked in, sighing softly. 

"Can anyone help me get in the building?!" he heard someone yell outside. He went to the window, looking out.

"Anyone in there!!!" Rick yelled outside, and Negan smiled a little when he saw him. 

"Rick!" Negan shouted, and Rick looked up. He smiled widely, waving.

"Hang on, I'll be right down!" Negan called, running out of the apartment and to the elevator. 

Rick tore up the stairs, almost tripping as he ran to get to Negan. He had to tell him. He reached the apartment, bursting through the door and running to his old room. 

"Rick!! Where are you?!" Negan yelled from outside, and Rick ran to the window. 

"Negan! What are you doing out there!!" Rick shouted, and Negan looked up.

"Rick! What are you doing down there?!" Negan exclaimed, waving up at him. 

"Stay right there!" they yelled in unison, running into the building. Rick hit the button, waiting impatiently for the elevator.

"Come on!" he shouted, and he turned to take the stairs. The elevator dinged, and he stopped. The doors slid open, and a delivery man walked out.

"Come on! Please hurry up, I have to tell my friend I'm in love with him!!" Rick exclaimed, and the delivery guy scoffed.

"Take a shower first, you're covered in sweat!" the delivery guy retorted. 

"You take a shower you smell terrible asshole!" Rick retorted, and the guy rolled his eyes, mocking Rick. Rick turned back to the elevator, locking eyes with Negan. Negan chuckled softly, looking at Rick. 

"Hey Rick..." Negan grinned, and Rick stared at him. 

"Hey..." Rick said softly, stopping the doors before they closed and getting in beside him. They glanced at each other nervously, and smiled, looking at the floor. The moment the door closed, Rick grabbed Negan's collar, kissing him hard. Negan kissed him back, smiling widely. 

"I broke it off with Lori..." Rick panted, separating from Negan. Negan looked at him, wide eyed.

"You saw the pictures. Didn't you?" Negan questioned, and Rick nodded. 

"I did. I'm sorry I didn't believe you." Rick apologized, and Negan nodded, looking down.

"It's fine." Negan brushed it off. 

"I'm also sorry that I was an idiot." Rick tilted Negan's head up, looking at him. 

"It happens." Negan shrugged.

"It shouldn't have. I'm in love with you too." Rick said, and Negan went quiet. 

It felt like all the air was knocked out of Negan's lungs at Rick's admission. Negan stared at him, blinking as the elevator dinged, the door opening. Simon, Arat, Michonne and Daryl stood there. Negan and Rick pulled apart, bright red.

"Did you two just.." Simon started, raising a brow. Negan glanced at Rick, and Rick looked at him. Without another word, Negan grabbed him again, kissing him. It felt so good to kiss him. Finally, after waiting for what felt like forever. 

"So Lori is done?" Michonne questioned when the two split apart. Rick nodded, bright red.

"She is. I confronted her, told her we were done." Rick told them, and they all grinned. 

"Fifty bucks Arat!" Simon exclaimed, and Arat groaned. 

"You had bets on us?!" Negan exclaimed, and they nodded guiltily. 

"Simon thought you guys would be together within two months. I thought it would take longer." Arat admitted, and they all laughed. 

"It didn't." Rick looked at Negan, smiling. Negan smiled back, squeezing his hand gently. 

How lucky was he?


End file.
